YORK, Pa. - The Messiah University Track and Field team concluded action at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships on Saturday evening at York College of Pennsylvania. The Falcons finished sixth with a team score of 63. There were a number of highlight performances across the board, one notable one being
Halle Jennett. She earned third and eighth in the 200 Meter and 100 Meter Dash respectively. She was also a member of the second-place 4x100 Meter Relay and third-place 4x400 Meter Relay. Widener University took the win with 148 points with Misericordia (139) and Stevens (123) rounding out the top three.
Thursday Action
The team of
Alyssa Nori,
Katie Anthony,
Kathleen Walstrom, and
Kate Dickow claimed the bronze medal in the 4x800 Meter Relay after combining for a time of 9:25.74. This time sets a new Messiah record, bettering the record of 9:27.02 set just last season.
Connor Coggins and
Kirsten Howland competed in the 10000 Meter Thursday evening. Coggins finished 10th in a time of 40:22.89, a new personal best by one minute. Howland finished with a season best of 45:04.17.
Leah Ferster finished with a mark of 35.05 meters in the Hammer Throw.
Natalie Hamlen is the lone Falcon competing in the two-day Heptathlon. After Day One she sat in eighth place with a cumulative score of 1821. Her event results are as follows:
- 100 Meter Hurdles: 18.37
- High Jump: 1.32
- Shot Put: 8.97
- 200 Meter Dash: 30.04
Friday Action
Natalie Hamlen returned for Day Two of the Heptathlon. With her performance Friday, she improved her Day One spot and finished in seventh place with a cumulative score of 3132. Her individual event results are as follows:
- Long Jump: 4.40
- Javelin: 18.06
- 800 Meter: 2:33.10
Kara Brown earned eighth place in the High Jump, clearing a height of 1.46 meters.
In the 3000 Meter Steeplechase,
Ali Schutte earned ninth after crossing the line in a time of 12:35.35.
Jillian Brotherton (14:06.38) and
Sarah Bath (14:07.35) also competed in the event.
Friday's action included a collection of personal and season bests as well as some new additions to the Messiah Top Ten List.
Halle Jennett ran a new best time of 12.62 in the 100 Meter Dash to earn sixth in the prelims and join the Messiah Top Ten List at number five.
Arwyn Gruenwald ran a new best time of 12.89 to finish 10th.
Jennett continued her fast running later in the day when she crossed the line in a time of 25.66 for a new best in the 200 Meter Dash. That time was the fourth fastest in prelims and the third fastest in Messiah history.
Elena Vargas ran a season-best time of 26.75 and was only .01 seconds from her personal best.
The Hurdle events were full of personal bests for Messiah.
In the 100 Meter Hurdles, a trio of Falcons ran personal best times, and two qualified for finals.
Kara Brown finished fifth in prelims with a time of 15.71. Close behind was
Claire Miller who took sixth in prelims with a time of 15.73.
Clara Benner ran a new personal best time of 16.50.
Clara Benner led the way in the 400 Meter Hurdles with a new personal best of 1:09.24.
Claire Miller added a season best, crossing the line in a time of 1:12.11.
Kara Brown (1:12.82),
Julia Rickard (1:14.72, personal best), and
Natalie Hamlen (1:15.33) all ran well for Messiah.
In the 400 Meter Dash,
Kerrigan Lebo finished eighth in the prelims with a new best time of 1:01.28. She was joined in the race by
Elena Vargas (1:02.40) and
Cassidy Chandler (1:03.63).
Highlighting a flock of Falcons in the 800 Meter Run was a new best time of 2:18.35 for
Katie Anthony. That time was second fastest in prelims and puts her in ninth on the Messiah Top Ten List. Other Falcons in the event included
Alyssa Nori (2:23.51),
Olivia Cory (2:24.40, season best),
Kathleen Walstrom (2:25.18),
Kiersten Burch (2:27.01, personal best),
Laura Kruth (2:27.21, season best), and
Isabela Rodriguez (2:35.56).
On of the most exciting performances of Friday afternoon came in the 4x100 Meter Relay. The team of
Arwyn Gruenwald,
Emma Graybill,
Halle Jennett, and
Elena Vargas combined for a time of 49.05, the second fastest of the day. That time is also the second fastest time ever run by a Messiah team, only behind a time of 49.03 run in 2019.
Moving On
After their performances on Friday afternoon, five individuals as well as the 4x100 Meter Relay will be moving on to Saturday's Finals. Those moving on are as follows:
-
Halle Jennett: 100 Meter Dash and 200 Meter Dash
-
Kerrigan Lebo: 400 Meter Dash
-
Katie Anthony: 800 Meter Run
-
Kara Brown: 100 Meter Hurdles
-
Claire Miller: 100 Meter Hurdles
- 4x100 Meter Relay Team:
Arwyn Gruenwald,
Emma Graybill,
Halle Jennett,
Elena Vargas
Saturday Action
Messiah kicked off Saturday afternoon with a second-place finish in the 4x100 Meter Relay. After running two-hundreths of a second shy of the school record during Friday's prelims, the team of
Arwyn Gruenwald,
Emma Graybill,
Halle Jennett, and
Elena Vargas combined for a time of 49.08. The school record stands at 49.03 set in 2019, but the four will return next season for another go at the record.
Ruby Ramsey earned a seventh-place finish in the Javelin Throw with a mark of 33.13 meters.
Brynn Gaugler (29.47) and Evangeline Soerens (27.38) also threw for the Falcons.
In the Triple Jump,
Elena Vargas jumped a season-best 11.06 to earn fourth.
Emma Graybill finished with a mark of 10.12 while
Claire Miller finished with a time of 9.58.
Two Falcons found themselves on the podium in the 1500 Meter Run.
Kate Dickow ran a new personal best of 4:43.54 to take fourth. Joining her on the podium was
Katie Anthony with her own personal best of 4:48.40 to earn seventh.
Amber Fogelsanger added a new personal best time of 5:04.62 while
Kathleen Walstrom crossed the line in a time of 5:08.89.
Messiah was then able to place two point scorers on the podium in the 100 Meter Hurdles with
Kara Brown earning fifth in a time of 15.88 and
Claire Miller earning eighth with a time of 16.02.
Kerrigan Lebo earned seventh in the 400 Meter Dash with a time of 1:01.36.
Halle Jennett earned seventh in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 12.69. An hour later she ran 25.74 in the 200 Meter Dash to earn the bronze medal.
In the Shot Put,
Leah Ferster finished with a mark of 9.73 meters.
Hannah Witter matched her personal best with a clearance of 3.05 meters and
Noelle Crowley cleared a height of 2.80 meters in the Pole Vault.
In the 800 Meter Run,
Katie Anthony earned fifth with a time of 2:20.13.
Clara Benner ran a personal best time of 1:08.19 to earn sixth in the 400 Meter Hurdles.
Four Falcons competed in the 5000 Meter Run.
Kate Dickow earned fifth in a time of 18:11.93.
Connor Coggins ran a season best of 19:33.71.
Katie Anthony added another event on the weekend, finishing in a time of 19:52.24. Rounding out the Falcons competitors was
Amber Swaisgood who crossed the line in a time of 20:46.26.
The day concluded with a third-place finish in the 4x400 Meter Relay. The team of
Kerrigan Lebo,
Emma Graybill,
Halle Jennett, and
Elena Vargas combined for a season best time of 4:04.77.
